Steam-engine



{No Model.)

, STEAM BNG-INE. A No. 548,859. Patented 00h29, 1895.

, Y ,um iw MR H A.

UNITED STATESv` PATENT OFFICE.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.1l648,859, dated October 29, 1895.

Application fled J' anuary 29, 1894. Serial No. 498,295. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O.WLL1AMs, of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines,`of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. A

My invention relates to improvements in steamengines; and it consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and designated in the claim. Y l

Referring to thedrawings, Figure 1 isla top plan View of my improved steam-engine, parts being broken away to more clearly show the construction of same. gitudinal central section of a portion of the engine, showing the manner 4in` whichthe drive-lever is connected to the crank-shaft, said section being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a like view showing the opposite end of the engine, said section being taken on the line 3 3 of Fig'. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the manner in which the exhaust-valve is constructed.

The object of my invention is to construct an engine with two cylinders and each cylinder provided with two pistons so located Vas -to reciprocate in alternate opposition in pairs,

power-shafts located adjacent the said pistons and on oppositesides thereof, and a coupling-rod located between said cylinders parallel to the path of reciprocation of the pistons and connecting with said power-shafts, as hereinafter specified, set forth, and claimed.

A further object of my invention is to construct a steam-engine withtwo cylinders, and each cylinder constructed with two pistons in such a manner that while the pistons in `one cylinder are in the center thereof the pistons in the opposite cylinder will be at opposite ends.

The numeral 1 designates the base upon which my engine is mounted. Said base can be constructed of any suitable material and is preferably rectangular in plan view to conform with the engine. Connected to the upper surface of the base 1, adjacent each end thereof, is a series of vertical supports 2, the' supports at one end being in transverse alignment with each other relative the base 1,

Fig. 2 is a vertical lonso that the horizontal shafts 3, which are mounted in the upper end of said supports, will be parallel with each other. These shafts are heldin position .with the supports by suitable boXings 4, connected'to the upper end of said supports by means of screws or bolts. Mounted upon each end of the shaft 3, at the right in Fig. 1, is a balance-wheel 5, while mounted on the shaft at the left of Fig. 1 isa iiy-'Wheel 6 and a belt-Wheelv 7. Formed on each of the shafts 3, at approximately the center thereof, is a craukS, to which the coupling-rod 9 is connected.4 This coupling-rod is connected to each of the cranks 8, so that the shafts carrying said cranks will be rotated at thesame rate of speed and in the same direction. i

The shafts 3 are each divided into three sections 10, 11, and 12. The adjacent ends of the sections 10 and 1l are each constructed with a crank-wheel13, and they are connected by Aa crank-pin 14. The adjacent ends of the sections 11 and 1'2 are each constructed with a crank-wheel 15, and they are connected by va crank-pin 16. The crank-pins are so located at one side of the center of said wheels so thatthe crank-pin connecting the wheels 15 is on the opposite side of said Wheels from the .crank-pin 14, which connects the crank-wheels 13, so that when the connecting-rods 17 of the engines areiconnected to the crank-pins the piston-rod which carries one of said connecting-rods will be on its outward movement, while the piston-rod carrying the opposite connecting-rod will be on its backward movement. The position of the crank-pins at the left of Fig-1 is opposite from the pins at the right thereof, so that the connecting-rods 17, which are connected thereto, will move in opposite directions, they moving toward each other and then fromV each other, and the rotation of-the shafts 3 is in the same direction.

18 indicates the engines. They being exactly the same vin construction I will describe but one; but I desire to state before proceeding further that the operation of one is eX- actlyopposite that of the other.

19 indicates the cylinder, which is mounted on the base 1 approximately half-way intermediate the shafts 3 and is of such a height that the piston-rods will be in horizontal alignment with said shafts. The cylinder is con- IOC structed with two piston -yrods 2O and two pistons 2l, so located within the cylinder that they move to and from the center thereof in opposite directions, both being at the center at the same time. Said pistons are so constructed that when at their closest point there will be space enough to allow steam to be forced between them for driving them apart. Connected to one side of the cylinder is the steam-chest 22, which is constructed with an induction-pipe 23 leading thereto and an exhaust-pipe 24 leading therefrom.v It is also constructed with a valve 25, to which is connected the valve-stem 26. This valve-stem leads to and is connected to the eccentric 27, which is mounted on the shaft 3 at the left of Fig. l. The valve 25 is constructed with a cut-away portion 2S in the side thereof adjacent the cylinder, so that when the valve is drawn over, as indicated by the lower cylinder in Fig. l, the steam can pass from the port 29 in the cylinder out through said cutaway portion 28 and out through the exhaustpipe 24.

It can readily be seen by inspecting Fig.y1 that the port 29 is in the center of the cylinder so that when the valve is'in the position illustrated by the upper cylinder and the pistons are in the position illustrated in said cylinder steam will be forced between said pistons, which will cause them to separate, and the piston-rods carrying said pistons being connected to the crank-wheels 13 of the shafts 3 will cause said shafts to rotate, and the coupling-rod 9 being connected to said shafts 3 in the manner hereinbefore stated will cause said shafts to rotate in the same direction.

The operation is as follows: When steam is forced through the induction-pipes 23 into the cylinders and the pistons are in the position illustrated bythe upper cylinder in Fig. l, the steam will cause said pistons to separate, which will cause the shafts 3 to rotate in the Adirection indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2

and 3, andthe pistons in the lower cylinder being at the ends of the cylinder the rotation of the shafts 3 will cause said pistons to be drawn to the center of said cylinder', and immediately' upon their reaching the center thereof the eccentric moves the Valve 25, which allows the steam to pass into said cylinder, which will force them apart and draw the pistons in the upper cylinder together, as illustrated vin Fig. 1.A By the construction of the cylinders and pistons when steam is forced into the cylinder the pressure thereof is all utilized, as both pistons move. Therefore approximately double theamount of power is gained than if there was but one piston.

It can readily be seen byinspecting Figs. 2 and 3 that when the shafts 3 are rotated in the same direction the end of the connectingrod which engages the crank-pin of the crankwheels at the right in Fig. l will come down, while the end of the connecting-rod which engages the crank-pin of the crank-wheels at the left of said figure will come up.

In the location of the coupling-rod between the pistons and between the cylinders a'great advantage is gained, inasmuch as the reciprocatory motion of one set of pistons is exercised in a vertical plane at one side of the axes of connections between the coupling-rod and the power-shafts and the reciprocatory motion of the remaining pistons is exercised at a point equidistant on the opposite side of the said axes of connections, thereby preventing abnormal strain on the said coupling-rod.

I hereby disclaim the construction shown in the United States Patent granted to H. F. Bayne, June 29, 1886, No. 344,432.

The improved steam engine having two mating cylinders 19 located parallel, with a f ree vertical space between them and provided each with two pistons, a connecting-rod for each piston, two shafts 3 mounted to freely revolve in their bearings and to which said connecting rods are attached, cranks 8 formed one approximately in the ce"nter of each of the shafts 3 in alignment with the said free vertical space between said cylinders and with each other, and a single long coupling-rod 9 located in said free space between said cylinders and connecting each of said cranks so that said shafts 3 may both be turned through complete revolutions in the same direction, all arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth and for the purposes stated.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES O. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

M. GRIFFIN, JNO. O. HtcDoN.

IOO 

